I've often thought about sowing annual mimulus but then read that it likes damp conditions and discounted it because I'm on stony flinty dry soil.  Now my pal who does not garden has a couple of pots of yellow and orange mimulus on her quite sheltered patio that she says come back every year.  When I asked if she did anything special with them she just looked at me quizzically and asked 'like what?'  So she gave me a small root of each and they are now filling 8" pots in the GH.  Common sense says they'll be ok in there over winter without much attention,  what's your opinion?   Are there different  varieties, i.e. annual and perennial?

Hi all,

I lost a small earring yesterday - potentially while forking over the lawn to prep it for turf. We are hoping to borrow or hire a metal detector to look for it, despite the unlikelihood of finding it, as it's important to me. I'm wondering if anyone has any experience of metal detectors and could provide any advice (what I'd need to find a small stud earring made of white gold, technique, etc).

Thanks very much,
mopeyjonah

So we’ve had a roast for our tea. Bob seems to think I always cook to many vegetables to accompany it ! I know nuts, right ? I don’t think 9 varieties is too many, do you ? That includes the roast potatoes   . 

How many do you have ?

Our kitchen widow looks out onto next door's wall.  They are no longer gardeners, so to improve the view I plant, with their permission, some marigolds in the very small dry border underneath the wall.  Their ivy was getting out of control so we chopped its stems and it is now dying off.  We will in time remove the ivy from the wall, and dig out the roots hopefully leaving the existing trelllis.  Next door blithely says they would like a climber up the trellis, but it is I that will have to source, water and maintain this climber    so I want pretty or pleasant to look at, low maintenance and able to survive dry conditions.  W

I'm asking for plant suggestions.  Paul would like something good to look at while he washes up.  I have thought variegated ivy which is less thuggish than wild ivy ( plus I can take cuttings of some I already have), clematis but their flowering period is relatively short and can look tatty.  Not virginia creeper it is messy ( I think) .  If annual, it will be me that has to propagate it so easy ones please.

Here's pic of site it faces NW

   

We’ve got a mix of trees to be planted hopefully soon. They will do much better in the ground than in pots. 
What spacing would you give them ? 

The trees are. 2 hazel, 2 oak, 1 rowan, 1 beach (might go as hedging), 1 Douglas fir, 3 morello cherry (might go as hedging), 2 willow ( might go as hedging) , 1 can’t remember the name gem/gen something like that & 1 redwood .

I was thinking 1 1/2 - 2m between them in all directions.

We’re well on our way Choosing the Chillies & sweet peppers for next year. I thought we should do the same for everything else as well.

My list is definitely only a rough outline. I’ve not really given it much thought! About time I did.

In 
1 Tromboncino 
1 Buffalo horn tomato 
1 Rosella tomato 
2-3 buckets Carrots 
5-6 Red cabbage 
4-5 Broccoli 
2-3 kale
1 Spaghetti squash 
1 Cucumber 
Some Lettuce/salad 
Asparagus & rhubarb because it’s already there. 
And obviously the already mentioned chillies & sweet peppers 

Everything else is out because I’ll be a builder not gardener next year 

Tunnel to the other side of the world and find out where you'd come out. 

.............and don't say you're a No Digger and wouldn't dream of it!!

https://www.antipodesmap.com/

I won't tell you where I'd be as it may spoil your fun.

Getting to the end of another chilli year. 
What’s going to be changing on your grow list next year?
Out 
Thunder mountain longhorn ( love growing it. But it does need a perfect Summer to perform well. And it’s an absolute pain to freeze because they are so big )
Monkey face ( another one needs perfect conditions )
Mystery chillies (if I don’t know what it is , it’s not staying)

Reduction in numbers 
Padron
Apple crisp 
Havana gold ( to be grown in chilli grows only. Wow they are thirsty plants !! )

In 
Definitely AJI pineapple 
Lot of other things (undecided)

Hello Folks

I need to trim back my thyme, rosemary, and bay as they have all gone a bit mad.

Was thinking about how to store them then remembered I have a dehydrator stored away somewhere in the loft!

Does anyone has any experience using one to dry and store herbs please?

I’m planning on filling the freezer with homemade ready meals for when we’re to knackered to cook after a day on the building site. 
So far I’m planning on bulk cooking curry, chilli con carne & soups. What else would freeze well?

WARNING 

I will completely abuse my powers as admin and ban anyone that suggests stew or casserole         
It is the food of the devil! And it’s disgusting .